Time Stands Still
by MindlessKitty
Summary: Before demons, humans roamed the land freely as the dominant species. Fueled by whispers of an ancient magic that could create a new species of great power, 4 comrades go on a journey that would ultimately change their world, and the future, forever. Sess/Kag
1. The Beginning

A/N: So i finally decided to write my first story! This idea kind of came to my head randomly one night, but I think it's interesting and i kinda wanna play around with the possibilities lol Enjoy & Review!

Chapter 1- The Beginning

"You're gonna have to be quicker than that!" yelled Inutaisho loudly to the three males running behind him, hot on his heels.

Facing forward once more, Inutaisho closed his brown eyes as the crisp air whipped around his faced. His legs raced forward, pumping and churning, as he kept his stride steady, determined to keep the lead of the foursome. His shoulder length blonde hair whipped back and forth around him, creating a shield from the world as he ducked and dived through the dense forest, branches leaving angry scratches on his skin.

"Heh, you think you're so great hush Taisho?!" quickly replied Ryūkotsusei, almost an arm distance behind Taisho.

'A few more steps and I'll finally catch that arrogant ass!' thought Ryūkotsusei smugly to himself as he willed his body to move quicker, his muscled legs screaming in protest at the force that was being exerted. His midnight black hair was held tightly in a bun atop his head, leaving the beads of sweat to trickle down his face. His eyes darted back and forth quickly, almost reptile like, to dodge the shrubbery that surrounded him as he weaved through the forest to reach his destination.

"I swear when those two get into it, you can forget everything else, eh Daichi?" said Hyousuke out loud into the air, confident his friend behind him heard. Running his fingers through his chestnut-colored hair, Hyousuke pushed the bangs from his eyes once more to keep his vision open, licking his parched lips as he kept his swift pace.

Turning his head backward one more, he yelled out, "C'mon Daichi! Keep up, can't let those two have all the fun eh?!" With that said, Hyousuke sped up his stride to catch up to the now fleeting silhouettes in front of him.

"Damn, you guys always lea…OH SHIT!" started Daichi before his legs caught onto a thick root on the ground, bringing his sprint to an abrupt halt as he tumbled to the ground with a hard thud, dirt and leaves fluttering innocently around him as if they weren't the culprit to his current situation.

"UGHHH! yelled out Daichi angrily into the ground. His bright red hair stood out in stark contrast against the dark brown dirt of the forest floor.

"Pthuuu!" exclaimed Daichi as he spit out dirt from his mouth and teeth. Reaching up to his face, Daichi stuck out his now brownish tongue and vehemently scraped away the leftover debris with his hands. Somewhat satisfied with his work, he closed his mouth only to quickly grimace at the taste that now assaulted him.

Standing up, Daichi ruffled his curly red locks as dirt and leaves fell onto the ground, shaking his head to rid himself of the rest. Looking over his now disheveled and muddied clothes, Daichi sighed to himself before turning forward to the empty space his friends' previously occupied, tall oaks and other trees now taking their place.

'Whelp…might as well enjoy the view now,' thought Daichi to himself as he continued on the same path at a much slower pace than his comrades, reveling in the calm song the birds chirped from above and the peace that he always found within the forest.

Bursting through the tree line, Inutaisho skidded to a halt, his legs finally able to have a moments reprieve. Panting heavily into the air, Inutaisho took several deep breaths to appease his abused lungs. Finally catching his breath, Inutaisho turned his brown eyes toward the object they had been searching for. His long legs walked forward toward the immense tree as the crisp leaves crunched beneath his black boots.

Running his hands over the massive tree, he felt as the rough bark left a tingling sensation throughout his fingertips,the smooth skin not accustom to such a feeling. Turning his head toward the tree line, Inutaisho let out a smirk, his thin lips curling up, ready to confront the figure he knew was about to emerge.

As if on cue, Ryūkotsusei burst through the clearing, visibly out of breath and on the verge of passing out.

"Ahh my friend, second best as usual! No surprise there!" laughed Inutaisho to his friend before walking over to him and placing his arms on his shoulders. "You sure you're going be alright, old man?" added Inutaisho with a wide smile on his face.

"Bastard. You..are..enjoying..this..far..too..much," wheezed out Ryūkotsusei to his friend as he continued to stay doubled over, desperately trying to steady his erratic breathing. Finally able to get his wits, Ryūkotsusei stood from his previous position, playfully punching at his friend.

"Relax Ryuu, we still have to wait for Suke and Daichi." laughed Inutaisho as he easily dodged the blows.

Minutes later, Hyousuke emerged from the thick forest, sweat dripping from his forehead.

"You two are inhuman! I swear it's like racing a fucking stallion!" joked Hyousuke as he joined the two in the clearing.

"Oh come on, all you guys do is complain!" added Inutaisho as he laughed at his two friends.

"Where's Daichi?" wondered Ryūkotsusei out loud as he failed to see the fourth member of their band make his presence known.

"Ehh, beats me." Replied Hyousuke as he plopped onto the ground, the soft grass providing a comfort from his previous run. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the ground somewhere," he lazily with his eyes closed as the enjoyed the breeze.

Soon after, Daichi strolled leisurely into the clearing, smiling toothily at the three occupants.

"Miss me?" joked Daichi to his less than amused friends.

Ryūkotsusei was the first to speak after eyeing Daichi's dirtied clothing and hair. Noticing the slight limp Daichi walked with it was clear to deduce what was the cause of his late arrival.

"Typical." Ryūkotsusei snorted before turning to the great tree that seemed almost out of place in the empty clearing. His black eyes traced the tree from root to top, squinting as the bright rays of sun caught his vision and obscured his sight.

"So this is it?" questioned Daichi as he walked over to the massive tree. "This is the reason I almost died in a forest?" He added with disdain as he shook his head and joined Hyousuke on the ground, stretching out his tired limbs.

Glaring over at the prone figure of Daichi, Ryūkotsusei spoke up. "You almost died because you are a moron. This is what we have been searching for, the key to everything we wished to achieve! Can you not feel the power? Feel the untold mystery that lies within?"

As he spoke his eyes lit up with a dark desire. An emotion he had become accustomed to since learning of the existence of the tree. He let his mind wander to the possibilities that the tree could provide him for the future, the power that he would wield.

Inutaisho looked at Ryūkotsusei warily, noticing the faraway look in his eyes.

"Baka." sighed Hyousuke as he slapped Daichi in the head.

"Goshinboku." whispered the previously quiet Inutaisho to no one in particular. At his voice, his three friends' eyes followed him as he joined Ryūkotsusei at the base of the tree, his arm stretching out to touch the magnificent tree once more, feeling the same tingle he had before.

Closing his eyes, Inutaisho began to speak softly, recalling the words his father had once told him. "Legends say that the Gods were the most powerful beings to ever be. They had powers and abilities one could only dream of. The Gods roamed the land, using their powers to create the rivers, the valleys, and the forests...all the things we know today—and so the Earth was born. The Gods were happy with their creation and wanted to create a being to inhabit the Earth, and so the Gods created humans in their image to populate the land. And so the years went on and the humans not only adapted, but thrived, multiplying rapidly, and creating their own society. As the years went by peacefully for the humans, a group of Gods became bored with their creation, wanting to eradicate the humans. They wanted a new species to inhabit the earth, a new more powerful and stronger species than the humans, a testament to their awesome powers. This did not go over well with the other Gods as they had grown to love the humans, so in turn they banished the group of Gods, now known as the Cursed Ones, to the plain beneath the Earth called the Underworld to never escape again, ending the threat to the humans—or so they thought."

Interrupting the story, Daichi spoke up from his place on the ground. "So we traveled seven days to the middle of nowhere for a bedtime story and so you two could hug a tree? And you guys say I'm the dumb one."

Picking up a rock from the ground, Ryūkotsusei glared at Daichi and threw the stone at his head, the object making a satisfying 'clop' sound as it connected to its target.

"Ouch! Whaddya do that for?!" yelled Daichi angrily to his friend as he rubbed the lump on his head.

"If you two are finished your scene, I'd like to continue", sighed Inutaisho as he rubbed his hand on his forehead, beginning to become restless at his friends' antics.

"The group of Gods that were banished weren't as naïve as they were thought to be. They were actually very clever, still wanting their idea of a dominate race to come to fruition. They had known voicing their opinion of exterminating the humans would lead to a drastic punishment, so as a safeguard they traveled to Earth in the dark of the night prior, and infused their powers into 3 relics which were then spread throughout the land. The relics were said to represent the three plains of the world: The Heavens where the Gods inhabited, the Underworld where the Cursed Ones and wicked inhabited, and the In-between, otherwise known as the Earth.

The relic of the Underworld is believed to be a stone that contains the powers that the Gods themselves hold; the powers that the Cursed Ones wished to start their new species, now tainted with the touch of Hell. However, one of the Cursed Ones realized the danger their stone could create so he created the relic of the Heavens, a diamond, which contained holy powers which would be able to 'purify' the beings the stone created. The last relic, the jewel of souls, is a symbol of what the Cursed Ones believed that those who inhabited the Earth yearned for – a wish; so they created this as an absolution should the other relics prove disastrous."

Yawning out loud, Daichi once again spoke up. "That was a great story Taisho, very riveting but I'm not seeing the point."

Inutaisho started to speak before he was interrupted by Ryūkotsusei. "Well my dear friend the point is power. Whoever finds that stone would be granted with the power of the Gods! Imagine the possibilities." he finished as his eyes gleamed in anticipation.

"And here," spoke Inutaisho with a proud smirk as he looked toward the tree, "is where we will find it."


	2. The Feudal Fairytale

Chapter 2-

Sleep. It was the only thing that seemed to comfort her these days. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that Kagome Higurashi didn't enjoy traipsing around Feudal Japan with a perverted monk, a head-strong demon slayer, her adopted kit and a pain in the ass Hanyou. No of course not. But in her dreams, she wasn't a miko, living in a time where your race was the difference between life and death; she wasn't the glue that kept her ragtag group together. She was simply Kagome, and that was a-ok with her.

"Oi, Wench! You gonna lay around sleeping all day or we gonna keep looking ?!" yelled and impatient Inuyasha to the slumbering petite form beside him, adding a nudge to her shoulder for extra measure.

 _'I guess sleeping is out of the question for today_ ' groused Kagome sourly to herself at her less than pleasant wake up call.

Opening her tired eyes, her cerulean depths attempted to adjust to the bright sun overhead. Rubbing the last traces of sleep away, Kagome glanced around the camp in search of her comrades, ready to start her usual routine. Her young kit Shippou was next to her, as usual, happily coloring with the crayons and markers she had brought back from her time. Inuyasha was perched in the tree that overlooked the entire camp, looking on with annoyance at the slow pace of his pack.

As for Sango and Miroku, Kagome couldn't find the other two humans that made up their group. Furrowing her brows, she opened her mouth to ask Inuyasha the whereabouts of the two until...

"PERVERT!" the exclamation coming from the area of the hot spring she had visited the previous night.

Sighing to herself, Kagome chuckled silently as Sango and Miroku strolled back into camp, the latter sporting a nice, red handprint on his cheek.

"But my dear Sango I— "

"Shut it Monk!" replied Sango quickly to the kind but perverted monk, moving to the opposite side of the camp, determined to put as much space between herself and Miroku as possible, lest his 'cursed hand' feel the need to find purchase on its favorite target.

"Hey! If you guys are done fooling around, we have more important things to get to." Came a gruff voice from above them in the trees.

"Oh relax Inuyasha," Kagome added easily as she rolled her sleeping mat into her bottomless yellow bag "See? I'm all set!"

"Feh, took you long enough, now let's move, we have a lot of ground to cover today."

Wrapping Shippou protectively in her arms, the group put out the fire and continued on their previous path. As they walked, Kagome ran her fingers through Shippou's soft fur, much to his delight, and got lost in thought.

 _*Flashback*_

Just how had she become a character in what she liked to call "Feudal Fairytale." It seems as though it was only yesterday she was at home, cleaning out the old well house when her chronic clumsiness caused her to slip over the edge of the well. She shut her eyes tightly, waiting for a hard impact that never came. Instead she found herself thrown to her bottom on the ground of a very different well, and as she emerged from the top, she noted it was a very different place.

Feudal Japan. Circa 500 years in the past. And that was just the beginning.

What she had stumbled upon was much more complex than that. Had she known that a magic well into the past would be on the bottom of her "Freaky Things Kagome Encounters" list, she would've jumped right back into the well to her time and sealed the sucker shut!

But she didn't. Her damn curiosity got the best her, as usual.

So with that, she continued on into the mysterious land, anxious to find out where she was and why she had been sent here in the first place.

Enter Inuyasha.

Oh that had been a treat, if by 'a treat' you enjoy a foul-mouthed and ill-tempered half-demon with a grudge against the world. She had noticed a streak of red jetting toward her from out of the forest, but before her legs could react quickly enough, she was plowed into and knocked on her ass, for the second time in 5 minutes.

Rubbing her abused bottom, Kagome was intent on giving the man a piece of her mind, but as she opened her mouth her voice died in her throat at the man that stood before her.

No not a man; not if the two fuzzy dog ears atop his silvery head were any indication. Her wide eyes swept over the being in awe, not able to fully comprehend exactly what he was, or being able to close her damn mouth.

His hair was long; the length of hers, maybe even longer and the color, so exotic compared to her raven tresses, was a shiny silver that glistened in the sun's rays. He loomed over her, a head taller she assumed but from her place on the ground she couldn't gauge his exact height. She noticed his bare feet sported a set of pointed claws and as her eyes looked to his hands she noticed an identical set of claws adorned his fingers. Continuing her perusal, she eyed the sword that hung from his hip warily, quickly moving her blue eyes away from the object.

Finally ending her examination, Kagome openly stared at the face of the stranger. And boy what a face it was! She thought him cute, in a boyish-rugged sort of way. His eyes intrigued her; the golden color, an anomaly in her time, reminded her of sweet honey. The cute doggy ears that occasionally twitched on his head completed the package, leaving Kagome unable to form a coherent sentence.

He was beautiful! And then he opened his mouth…

"Oi bitch! Who do you think you are and whaddya staring at?!" came the vulgar question from the "beautiful" being in front of her. Well so much for that.

Lips tightening into a scowl, Kagome sent the stranger an icy warning glare, her anger somehow making her forget about the sword and claws she had just taken note of.

Narrowing her eyes, she quickly replied, "I think my name is Kagome, asshole! And I think you owe me an apology, unless you make it a habit of running into anyone you please!"

And at that exchange, a friendship was born. Albeit a strained one, but a friendship nonetheless.

Theirs was a mutual relationship in beginning; Kagome told him of the future, and Inuyasha told her of the past; the story of demons and the current state of the land, which both shocked and intrigued her.

She sat wide eyed as Inuyasha told her of the origin of the first demons, known by many as the First Four. He told her about how the First Four used the Stone of Hell to create the demon race as quest for power overcame many humans during the time. He told her of how the demons became bloodthirsty for wealth and power; how they believed the humans to be beneath them in strength and status, and in turn killed and enslaved many. He told her of how several humans, of nobility and strength, sought a way to stop the ravenous demons; and with the creation of The Holy Ones through the Diamond of Heaven, they found the key. Priests and priestesses, monks and mikos, all given the power of purification from the Gods themselves, able to destroy or severly damage the youki of demons.

With the conception of the Holy Ones, the tide had turned. The battlefield was somewhat even. And both sides were not happy.

"The Endless War." grunted Inuyasha, to the horror of Kagome. Her wide eyes glazed over in apprehension at the mention of a war. Just what had she stumbled into?! Here she was listening to a fantastical tale about demons and mikos and she was supposed to be ok with this? Up until now, the most confusing thing she ever encountered was Mathematics, but what she was currently listening to made Calculus sound like 1+1.

"Feh, crazy right?" ranted Inuyasha as he continued his story.

"The Endless War has humans seeking Holy Ones to purify demons and demons ripping apart humans for fun …just some fucked up shit! Everyone is so stuck on this 'pure bloodline' bullshit that nobody trusts anyone worth a damn." With that last statement, Inuyasha's eyes shined over with what Kagome could only dub as hardened sadness.

"And then you have those like me."

The tone of his voice caught Kagome off guard, the sound of melancholy foreign to the vulgarities she was used to hearing from the stranger after knowing him for such a short time.

"Hanyou. The scourge of two races. Feared by humans because of my demon blood and resented by demons because the 'weakness' of my human side."

Kagome's eyes lowered in sadness at what Inuyasha had told her. She imagined what it would be like for all hanyou's; not having a place to live in such a world where ones birth is already predetermined by bloodlines.

Her mind swirling with new information, Kagome felt dizzy by it all, unable to process what she had just been told until a random thought escaped her mouth before she could stop it.

"So what does a girl from the future have to do with a war between demons and humans 500 years in the past?"

Inuyasha looked puzzled, considering what the girl before him had said before reaching his clawed hand out for her, pulling her to stand up beside him before letting her hand go.

"Keh I have no idea. But in this time nothing happens for no reason, so why ever you were sent here," looking toward the girl, Inuyasha narrowed his golden eyes in determination, "I'm gonna find out."

 _*End Flashback*_

That was two years ago. And it's been a roller coaster ever since. Having added Shippou, Miroku and Sango to their two-some, they had become a formidable group in their own right, each member bringing his or her own unique abilities to the mix.

"Okaasan, are you ok?" asked Shippou quietly, noticing Kagome had stopped following after the group.

Effectively brought out of her musings, she smiled lovingly at the bundle in her arms.

"Yeah Shippou, I'm fine!" replied Kagome cheerily, pinching his chubby cheeks before increasing her pace as to not fall too far behind.

' _I wonder what we have in store for us today,'_ Kagome thought fleetingly as she caught up with her group and fell back into a comfortable stride.


	3. The Creation

A/N: So if you couldn't tell my story is gonna cover two timelines, skipping back and forth. I hope everything makes sense! Lol I wanted to have a whole storyline plotted for this, but ideas kept popping into my head and I just started writing so I hope it turns out well! Without further ado, chapter 3 :) Read & Review pls !

Chapter 3- The Creation

Noticing the look of seriousness on both Inutaisho and Ryūkotsusei faces, Daichi and Hyousuke looked to each other, realizing that this 'pointless' trip may be anything but.

"So wait", started Hyousuke and he pushed himself off of the ground, dusting off his pants as he stood, "you two believe there's some type of mystic 'stone of hell' in this tree?"

Walking over to where Inutaisho and Ryūkotsusei stood, Hyousuke eyed the tree apprehensively as he spoke, "And what exactly is the relic supposed to do to us?"

"Don't tell me you're scared Suke," added Inutaisho, smirking widely to his friend.

"Hey nobody's saying that! I'm just tryna be logical."

"Well that would definitely be a first." snorted Ryūkotsusei.

"Thanks for the commentary brother." mused Hyousuke dryly.

Steeling his resolved, Inutaisho turned to his friends, "Look I know there are a lot of risks; hell there could not even be anything there and this whole trip would have been for nothing. But I'm not interested in 'what ifs'. We have a chance to discover something that the world has never seen before, and that my friends outweighs any risks that may be involved."

"Now, with that being said…Ryuu?" turning to Ryūkotsusei, Inutaisho reached out his arm, opening his palm toward his long-time friend.

"As you wish m'lord." joked Ryūkotsusei as he placed the small axe in Inutaisho's open hand.

Closing his fist around the tool, Inutaisho turned to the tree once more, intent on finally retrieving what they came for. Placing his hand on the stem of the massive plant, the moved the side of his head to press up against the massive sapling. Closing his eyes, he took deep breaths, waiting for something to signify the spot he was searching for.

His friends watched on with curious eyes as Inutaisho circled the base of the tree, seemingly searching for something that wasn't visible.

"Maybe we should get him and the tree a room?"

"Shut up, idiot!" whispered Hyousuke, slapping Daichi on the back of his head.

After about five minutes, Inutaisho finally opened his eyes, the brown irises staring intently at the spot he stopped at.

"This is it." murmured Inutaisho.

Placing his hand on the tree for support, he raised the ax in the air before swiftly bringing it down, striking the great tree with tremendous force. He repeated the motion several times causing seveal pieces of bark to chip away and fly into the air. After numerous strikes to the tree, his three onlookers started to lose faith.

"Hey maybe it's not here, that doesn't mean we failed."

"Of course it's not here! Do you guys honestly believe in fairytales?"

"Silence the both of you. It's here. It has to be."

Drowning out the comments of his friends, Inutaisho continued on his task with renewed vigor, sweat covering his brow and matting his blonde bangs to his forehead. ' _Maybe they're right'_ thought Inutaisho to himself, ready to believe that all he had believed in was nothing but an entertaining tale.

Just as he was about to give up, his right hand brought the axe down hard to the stem of the tree, finally cracking a hole in the seemingly impenetrable outer shell. As soon as the bark was penetrated, a blinding light shot through the old tree, knocking Inutaisho onto the ground, causing the axe to fall easily from his hands.

"What the…" marveled Hyousuke at the scene, wide blue eyes staring at the fallen figure of his friend on the ground.

"Oh shit, maybe that old bedtime story was true after all!" exclaimed Daichi, previous doubts washed away by the steady light streaming from the tree.

Ryūkotsusei said nothing, silently marveling at the scene before him. Curling his lips into a devious smirk, Ryūkotsusei quickly pondered the possibilities of their recent discovery. Walking over to Inutaisho, he bent down to pick his friend off of the ground.

"You alright there?" he asked, brushing the dirt off his shoulder.

"Yeah. It's gonna take more than that to ruin this moment for me!" replied Inutaisho.

As the light from the tree faded away, the four friends approached the tree cautiously to inspect the hole that now resided within the bark.

"Sooo, who's gonna stick their hand in the mystery whole first?" mused Daichi.

"How bout it Suke? You always been into that weird shit, eh? Or was that a different guy I seen sneaking off to the Oiran House a few weeks ago?"

"Shut up Idiot!" seethed Hyousuke, a light blush covering his cheeks.

"How about it Ryuu?" questioned Inutaisho. "I know you're not scared like these two fools," he added, slapping Ryūkotsusei's shoulder enthusiastically.

Ryūkotsusei looked toward the tree with trepidation. Sure he wanted power. Sure he wanted to be the most powerful man in the world. But that didn't mean he had to risk his life on a whim, especially when he had three other people that could do it for him.

Smiling, he stepped backwards from the tree and ushered Inutaisho forward, "All yours."

Glaring at his friends, Inutaisho took a deep breath before exhaling, his nerves running rampant throughout his body. Staring his hand with a sigh, he slowly reached the appendage toward the hole.

 _'Great way as any to lose a hand I guess."_

Inutaisho watched with anxiety as the blackness of the hollow fixture enveloped his hand, seemingly swallowing it whole. Letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, he allowed his hand to roam within the structure, searching for something, anything, and hoping that it didn't have a set of teeth.

"He's not screaming out in agony so I guess he still has his hand." commented Daichi out loud.

Blindly feeling around, Inutaisho bit down on his bottom lip in concentration as his hand searched, his eyes widening when his hand finally made contact with an object. Wrapping his fingers around the foreign item, he quickly pulled his hand from the hole and opened his fist, as three sets of eyes looked down in nervousness at what he was holding.

In his palm laid a glossy silver stone, standing out against the pale skin that held it.

' _Finally!"_ thought Ryūkotsusei triumphantly, unable to contain the smile that spread across his face.

"I-Is that what I think it is?" questioned Hyousuke to no one in particular.

"Of course it is Suke! We finally found it!" announced Inutaisho.

"Uh guys," started Daichi as he inspected the stone, "If this is the stone that's supposed to contain the power of the Gods, why hasn't anything happened?"

At that comment, each man seemed to glance to one another, wondering if they had indeed found the fabled stone.

"Taisho look!" remarked Daichi incredulously as he pointed an accusing finger toward the stone.

Inutaisho's brown eyes looked down toward his palm, the previously grey stone now a bright red, shuddering back and forth within his grasp. Narrowing his eyes at the rock, he felt the temperature of the object increase, first to a warm sting gradually getting hotter.

"This thing is burning me!" shouted Inutaisho in pain, the stone still increasing in temperature within his hand.

"Drop it Taisho," responded Ryūkotsusei, a confused looked painted on his face, "unless you are intent on losing that hand after all."

Turning his palm over, Inutaisho attempted to drop the stone to the ground, but to his horror it had no intention of leaving its perch.

"I-I can't! The damn thing is stuck to my hand."

The pain in his hand was becoming intolerable; grasping his hand around the object, Inutaisho looked toward his fist helplessly as the pain began to spread throughout his body, dropping him to his knees.

"AHHH!" he screamed in agony on the ground, the pain now plaguing his entire being with seemingly no end.

His friends took a step back, watching powerlessly as Inutaisho's body writhed on the ground, unable look away from the horrifying scene or help their friend.

He was on fire; that was the only way he could describe it. He felt as though the blood that coursed through his veins was liquid magna, circulating back and forth from his head to his toes.

 _'What the hell is happening to me?'_ Inutaisho thought to himself, unable to focus on anything but the inescapable pain.

He felt as though something was inside of his body, something he couldn't describe trying to take over him; trying to _control_ him. Clenching his jaw, he focused all his energy on the foreign presence, attempting to expel it from his mind and body, wanting the experience to be over once and for all.

 _'Let me in!'_

Snapping his eyes open in surprise, he closed them quickly as he tried to register the alien voice that screamed to him within his frazzled mind. Realizing he was in a losing fight, Inutaisho gave into the pain and allowed it to consume him, giving all control over the entity that inhabited his body.

At that moment, the fire returned full force, but this time he wasn't fighting alone; he felt as though someone, _something_ , was in his body with him, giving him the strength to control the pain.

He felt his body changing; he became painfully aware of his limbs stretching, the bones and muscles seeming to elongate past human size. He felt his face stretching painfully, the contour resembling something beastlike. He was unable to control any of his body but felt calmly at ease; the foreign presence within him giving him a sense of courage.

When the pain finally subsided, his body felt entirely different; as though it was the first time he had inhabited it. Opening his eyes, he noticed the shocked expressions of the trio in front of him.

 _'They look as though they never seen me before'_ thought Inutaisho curiously to himself.

Intent on sharing that exact thought, he opened his mouth to speak but was shocked to hear his words come out as barks.

"Y-you're a dog!" stammered Daichi, emerald eyes wide at the enormous white dog before him.

Looking down at his hand for the stone, Inutaisho was shocked to see the stone was no longer in his hand but was lying securely under his…

 _'Paw?'_ he thought to himself incredulously before stepping backward away from the stone, his massive body causing the ground surrounding them to shake.

As soon as his paw lost contact with the stone, he felt the fire return to his body at a much more bearable heat. He felt his gigantic limbs return to normal size, and his face shrink back from its previous muzzle. When the fire dissipated, he looked toward his friends once more with a grin.

"That was intense. I'm just glad to be human again." he remarked, happy to be able to form coherent words once more.

When he was met with silence, his raised a brow toward his three onlookers.

"Taisho, y-your hands, your face. I don't know what that thing did to you but you are definitely not human." explained Hyousuke.

Bringing his hands to his face, Inutaisho looked in surprise at his fingers. The once dull nails were pointed to a sharp tip, in what he believed to be claws.

 _'What the hell?'_

Running over to the nearby stream, Inutaisho looked on in amazement at the reflection that was portrayed in the waters; his once chocolate brown eyes were now a deep golden and his blonde hair was now platinum silver, swinging lightly in the breeze as the locks flowed past his lower back.

One cerulean stripe adorned each cheek, making him look both exotic and dangerous. Turning his head slightly to the side, he noticed his ears came to points at each tip. Opening his mouth in shock at his new appearance, he detected two fangs where his canines used to be. Running his tongue over the sharp incisors, he tried to get acclimated to his new changes.

Slowly turning from the water, Inutaisho walked back to his comrades, a new air of confidence and superiority overcoming his being that he seemed to revel in. Taking in the blank stares of his three friends, Inutaisho voiced the only logical question he could think of at the moment—

"Soo, who's next?"


	4. The Hot Springs

A/N: Long time no update! I wanted to stay on a regular updating schedule but I just moved into a new apartment and I start law school in a month so things have been hectic. But thank you to those who read/fav/follow/review, it makes this writing thing worthwhile! So without further ado, chapter 4!

Read & Review !

Chapter 4- The Hot springs

The sun beamed overhead brightly on the occupants down below its warm rays. They had already been travelling for hours and run into a few wild demons looking for trouble. Despite the heat, Inuyasha continued his brisk pace at the head of the group, his bare feet walking over the dirt path they followed as he led the group. Sango walked behind him, keeping up with the curt stride Inuyasha had set for the group, despite the heavy weight of Hiraikotsu on her back. Kirara sat perched on her shoulder, licking her paws here and there to cool down in the heat.

Miroku took up residence behind Sango, his hands in his purple robes, violet eyes taking in the surroundings before find a much more interesting view in Sango's backside, grinning perversely to himself. Reaching a hand out, he readied himself to caress the firm mounds until he felt another hand on his wrist, halting his movements.

Following the arm up to its owner, he was met with the glaring blue eyes of Kagome.

"Don't even think about it Miroku!"

"Please Kagome, you wound me. I was just stretching my tired limbs."

Narrowing her eyes before letting go of his wrist, Kagome added, "Yeah yeah Miroku, if you want another concussion go ahead."

Turning her attention from the monk, Kagome felt the tell-tale sign of fatigue plague her body. Beads of moisture dampened her forehead and her dry lips felt on the verge of cracking in the hostile sun.

"Inuyasha! Unless you want us all to pass out, we need to stop for camp!"

Looking back with irritation, Inuyasha yelled back, "Oi, we just started wench! We haven't even barely begun to cover ground."

Trying to suppress her anger at her inconsiderate friend, Kagome bit back tersely, "Well in case you haven't noticed, it's like 100 degrees out here and the idea of death by heatstroke doesn't appeal to me."

"Feh, if you guys were demon we could cover twice the ground we do in one day."

"Well sorry oh great demon, but us _humans_ need a break." added Kagome sarcastically.

Using her last bit of energy to jog to the head of the group, Kagome scouted out a good area to set up camp.

"Hey guys I think this is as good a place as any to set up for now until it cools down a bit."

"Good idea Kagome-chan! And I smell a hot springs nearby. After today's journey I wouldn't mind a good soak."

Eyes lighting up at the mention of a bath, Kagome replied giddily, "true Sango-chan, great idea!"

"Yes ladies, I think a warm bath would be most enjoyable, mind if I join?" asked Miroku innocently, only to be met by two sets of glaring eyes.

"Hey! Nobody said we were stopping, we still got daylight!" interrupted Inuyasha angrily, pointing an accusatory finger at Kagome.

"Inuyasha, the other half of the jewel isn't going anywhere. We all know Naraku can't be found unless he wants to be."

"Feh. We wouldn't even be in this mess if you knew how to shoot that bow and arrow properly."

Turning to face Inuyasha, blue clashed with gold in a heated exchanged, both sides unwilling to back down.

Clutching the bow nestled on her back defensively, Kagome bit out, "Oh that's rich coming from a guy that swings Tetsusaiga so carelessly; I'm surprised you haven't lopped one of our heads off by now! That was my first time shooting a bow, what's your excuse after years of training?!

"Whatever. Go take your stupid bath, see if I care!" humphed Inuyasha as he jumped into the nearest tree, now sporting a slight tinge of red on his cheeks.

It never ceased to amaze Kagome how these little arguments between Inuyasha and herself started so randomly and ended almost always in her victory. After years together, what seemed like a nuisance before had somewhat become a ritual between the two friends, endearing them together in some odd way.

Plus she always managed to make Inuyasha jump off in a hissy fit…but of course that didn't give her any added enjoyment.

Setting down her monstrous yellow bag on the ground, Kagome began to search for her bathing supplies, grabbing a bottle of body wash, pink and blue wash cloths for herself and Sango, and an extra set of clean clothes.

"Ok Sango-chan, let's go!" replied Kagome cheerfully as she sauntered over to the older female.

"And don't get any ideas monk!" added Sango before the pair walked away in the direction of the hot springs.

Eyeing the direction the girls had walked off in with curiosity, Miroku thought about following after until the gruff voice from the tree line stopped him.

"Don't even think about it pervert!" yelled out the still angry Inuyasha toward the monk.

Sure he was butt-hurt about being ignored by Kagome, but he sure wasn't about to let Miroku go peeping on them and cause him more trouble.

Not that he was scared of the little 17 year old human….of course not.

Shaking his head of that last thought, he closed his eyes to get a moments rest, still keeping his ears on alert in the direction of the spring.

* * *

"Sango-chan, this is exactly what I needed! Not that I don't enjoy running around Japan chasing after demons." said Kagome jokingly as she lowered herself into the spring, her sore muscles automatically relaxing in the warm water.

"Right Kagome-chan. I'm ready for this whole battle to be over. You can't imagine what it's like growing up in war time." replied Sango, a look of sadness washing over her mocha eyes.

Scooting over to Sango, Kagome placed an arm around her shoulders, hugging the woman closer to her.

"Don't worry Sango-chan. I'm sure things will get better soon."

"I wish it were that easy Kagome-chan. It's been years! Humans and demons fighting and killing each other and for what? Power? I feel like my whole life was predetermined for me and I had no say in anything."

Recalling the events from her past, Sango realized it was time to finally tell Kagome of her childhood. She had just hoped the younger woman wouldn't view her any differently. Sighing aloud, she began to tell the dark memories of her early life…

"When the demons started growing in power, humans lived in constant fear; we had always been the strongest species, but now there were beings that wanted to kill us simply because of our race and they had the powers to do so."

"Things had changed so quickly. One night we were a happy family eating supper, until a rogue group of demons attacked our village. They destroyed the entire town; homes were set on fire, crops were destroyed. Most of the villagers were either killed or taken by the demons; the bodies of those who were taken were never seen again."

"I was only 8 at the time. I had never seen such destruction in my life; sometimes at night I still hear the screams of the people, begging to the Gods for it to be over. I lost my younger brother that night."

Kagome's eyes widened in shock at the last statement. She had known Sango had come from a troubled past, caused by devastating Endless War, but she had never known exactly what she had loss. Sango was her closest friend in the group, but she always seemed to be reserved. Kagome knew there were things Sango kept to herself and figured she would tell her when the time was right.

But losing a sibling? She couldn't imagine something so tragic. Her thoughts flew to Souta, her own younger brother, and she couldn't imagine life without the sometimes annoying boy.

"S-Sango-chan I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

Blinking back her tears, Sango smiled at Kagome, "don't worry about me. This all happened years ago, I've learned to deal with the pain." Sango swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing her story,

"We searched everywhere for Kohaku's body after the demons left. We didn't know if they took him or if he managed escaped. To this day, I think part of me still believes that he's out there somewhere."

"After the destruction of our village, the survivors had no choice but to relocate and rebuild. Some felt sorrow, some felt vulnerable, but for the most part everyone just felt angry; angry that these beings could come in as easily as they had and take everything we loved. At that point, my father and a few other men became obsessed with the demons and destroying them; Revenge was the only thing anyone wanted anymore."

"That's how the village became one of the most feared demon-slaying towns around. Our reputation began to spread throughout Japan; we had the weapons and the fresh pain of all that we had lost at the hands of the demons, which was a deadly combination."

"The village council made a law that at the age of 15 one had to start slayer training; the work load was torture. We went sun up to sun down, practicing drills and techniques until we passed out. When we weren't working on forms we were in the class rooms learning about the different demons the more experienced slayers caught; we learned their strengths and weaknesses, everything we could in order to become better warriors."

Holding on to her shoulder, Kagome was at a loss on how to comfort the woman beside her. She wasn't familiar with the burden war and fighting put on a person; in her time these problems never even crossed her mind, but here knowing your opponent and knowing how to wield a weapon were the difference between life and death.

"I didn't know if I even wanted to become a slayer. The closer I got to turning 15 the more anxious I became. I knew I was expected to become this great warrior especially with my father being a council member. Nevertheless I excelled in training and classes; by the time I was 18 I was one of the best demon slayers in the village."

"There were days when it became too much; being a skilled warrior takes its toll on the conscious. We killed every demon that came across our path including women and children. I remember the first child I had to kill. The fear in his eyes still haunts me. He couldn't have been more than 5, the same age Kohaku was when I'd last seen him."

"I hesitated; Hiraikotsu felt like lead within my hands and I knew I couldn't go through with it but my father was standing over me, a look of satisfaction in his eyes at the fear we had instilled within the little boy. To him, every demon was accountable for the loss of Kohaku. After I'd dealt the killing blow he hugged me and said he couldn't have been prouder. That night I cried myself to sleep."

Kagome listened to Sango's story, a feeling of guilt over coming her. She never knew the effects of war could run so deep. Sango had no choices in her life; had been forced to become a demon slayer, had been forced to kill simply because of her father's grief.

She realized that Sango's strong exterior was just a mask to hide the pain of what she had been forced to do her whole life; that if she were to let her guard down the grief of her previous actions would most likely consume her kind heart.

Honestly, she was surprised that Sango remained as positive and sweet as she was now. Kagome knew that had it been her in the situation, she never would've been able to survive.

"You must think me a monster. I know I do." whispered Sango quietly into the air.

"Of course not Sango-chan. You're the kindest person I know! You were dealt a bad hand and coped with it the best way you could."

"I just feel so weak Kagome-chan. I killed thousands of demons, but never had the courage to stand up to my father, to tell him that the killings were senseless and they wouldn't bring Kohaku back. I just felt as though I was betraying my family and my brother by feeling that way."

"I think that makes you stronger Sango-chan. You were able to hold on to your humanity despite the obstacles you faced. It would be easy to side with your family simply because you believed you had to, but it took real courage to realize that killing demons for sport wouldn't solve anything."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Sango smiled once more at Kagome.

"Thank you Kagome-chan! I don't know what I would do without you."

"Of course! You're like my big sister Sango-chan. Without you I probably would've killed Inuyasha by now" laughed Kagome.

"Speaking of Inuyasha maybe we should head back to camp. Who knows what he and the monk have been up to."

"You're right, I'm surprised Miroku hasn't tried to sneak in here by now. Plus Inu is probably throwing a tantrum at how long we've been gone."

Gathering the bathing supplies, Kagome dried off and got dressed into clean clothes and strapped her bow to her back once more before following Sango back to camp. Walking in comfortable silence, Kagome's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the voices she heard as got closer to camp.

She recognized Miroku's soft voice and rolled her eyes at the predictable yelling of Inuyasha, but a third voice had her puzzled. The cold baritone of the stranger sent chills throughout her body, a sense of dread filling her as they appeared in the camp site.

As the occupants of the campsite became visible, Kagome took in the uncommon scene before her:

Miroku was standing off to the side of the clearing, his hands held up in apprehension as he was seemingly trying to diffuse the tension of the campsite that was almost palpable, while still keeping distance from the two beings in the middle of the clearing who's auras were swirling around dangerously.

Her eyes moving from Miroku, Kagome took in the posture of her friend Inuyasha who was standing toe to toe with the stranger; his golden eyes glaring holes into the man in front of him and his fist wrapped so tightly around the hilt of Tetsusaiga at his waist that his knuckles were turning white.

She had seen her friend in battle before, seen him kill demons that were threatening their lives, but she had never seen him look so furious at someone who apparently wasn't even posing a threat.

Without thinking, Kagome automatically drew her bow from off her back and pulled the arrow taught against the string, aiming the weapon toward the stranger before looking more closely at whomever it was that had to be an enemy if the countenance of Inuyasha was any indication.

Upon further inspection, her breath hitched at what she saw…

She thought she was looking in a mirror staring at Inuyasha and the stranger; the resemblance was so uncanny Kagome knew they had to be related. While they shared the same long platinum silver tresses and striking golden eyes, there were several differences that made this being seem much more dangerous than her longtime friend.

The stranger stood more than a foot taller than Inuyasha, his imposing figure almost towering over her friend, who up until now had been one of the tallest people she had ever seen. His nails also came to claw-like points but unlike Inuyasha's his seemed sharper, as if they had been filed to perfect points.

His pristine white outfit reminded Kagome of royalty; the intricate patterned designs on the fabric further strengthened that notion in her mind. He carried not one, but two swords on his hip which hung below his waist innocently but from the energy emanating from them she could tell they were anything but.

The most different features from Inuyasha, however, were above the neck; instead of the cute doggy ears Kagome had grown accustomed to, his ears where on the side of his head, almost human-like except for the sharp point at the top that made them look elfin.

This being screamed power and arrogance, but it was his face that captured Kagome-

Above his brows sat a azure crescent moon shape centered perfectly on his forehead and two sets of maroon stripes adorned each cheek. His face held a look of confidence, and despite Inuyasha all but growling at him, he looked bored! Looked as if Tetsusaiga wouldn't shred him to pieces, and even though she had never met this man, Kagome had a feeling that even the powerful Hanyou wouldn't stand a chance against him.

 _'Wow'_ thought Kagome to herself, the grip on her bow loosening as she took in the handsome stranger. Before she had a chance to drool at the beautiful man, Inuyasha's voice brought her out of her stupor.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing here bastard?!"

Ready to open her mouth to scold Inuyasha on his crude language, Kagome found herself beaten to it when the man spoke once more, his baritone voice deep compared to the yelling coming from Inuyasha.

"Hn. Hello little brother."

Blue eyes widening in shock, Kagome felt the arrow fall completely from her bow in shock as she looked back and forth between the two men, realization hitting her like a truck.

"Wait…brother?!"

A/N: And there you have it! finally posted chapter 4, I wanted to give Sango a backstory so I focused on her past in this one , but finally Sesshomaru is introduced so let the fun begin!


	5. The Shift in Nature

A/N: Wow, long time no update! I've been so swamped with law school I haven't been able to think, let alone write of anything beside cases and law lol. But thank you to my loyal followers/readers/reviewers who support my story, you make it worthwhile, so without further adieu, Chapter 5!

Read & Review Please!

Chapter 5 – The Shift in Nature

The air in the clearing had changed drastically; energy swirled within the atmosphere, giving the once pure setting a more tumultuous feeling.

Birds took flight into the sky, the instinct to flee taking over their bodies. Smaller animals simply hid away within their homes, aware of the shift in nature that had just taken place, while larger animals fled the scene altogether, legs churning quickly to leave the area, aware of the danger the beings in the glade now posed.

The whole forest seemed to be on edge, alerted to the turn of events that had just taken place. Even the trees violently shook back and forth, as if trying to leave the scene as well were it not for the thick roots that anchored them to the ground.

"I-I can't believe this, look at us!" exclaimed Daichi, grinning down at his now claw tipped finger nails that matched the other three men in the clearing.

The stone had done to each man what it had done to Inutaisho mere moments before, each going through the painful process only to be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

"Well I can't say that I enjoyed pain," started Hyousuke as memories of the heat flashed in his mind, "but this feeling of power is something I could definitely get used to," he said as he looked at his arms. He had always been in shape, but it would seem the change exacerbated his already muscular physique. His biceps strained against the worn fabric of his shirt, threatening to rip the fabric to pieces if he were to try to flex.

"Heh of course you would be the one to transform into a wolf Suke, anything to show off how strong you are." joked Daichi as he lightly punched Hyousuke in the arm, quickly trying to run away before his friend could retaliate.

As he turned to run, Daichi yelped in surprise as he felt a sharp pain below his waist. Turning his head to investigate the pain, he noticed Hyousuke with a grin on his face and a pile of chestnut colored fur within his clawed grasp.

"Hey, let go!" yelled Daichi exasperatedly as he increased his efforts to free himself from his friend's iron grip.

Grinning further so his sharp canines peeked from underneath his top lip, Hyousuke laughed out loud.

"You know I think I like you with a tail, its like your own little leash," commented Hyousuke as he pulled the furry appendage lightly for emphasis.

"Ok ok man, enough!" pleaded Daichi, hoping his friend would end his teasing and release his newly acquired body party that he already seemed to be attached to.

Finally feeling merciful, Hyousuke let go of the tail before walking off to the other side of the clearing, but not before grinning triumphantly at his friend.

Happy to be free of Hyousuke's grasp, Daichi mumbled to himself, "Asshole. If anyone here needs a leash its gonna be Taisho."

Although he was a few feet away from Daichi, Inutaisho heard the comment clear as day, as if Daichi had whispered it right into his ear.

"What was that Daichi?" questioned Inutaisho, glaring in his friend's direction.

Green eyes opening widely, Daichi wondered how Inutaisho even heard him, he had barely spoken that out loud!

"Uhh huh?" asked Daichi sheepishly, before running off to bother Hyousuke, happy to be away from the golden eyes glaring daggers at him.

Shaking his head, Inutaisho turned to talk to Ryūkotsusei who was sitting on the grass beside him with his back against Goshinboku. His eyes were closed, seemingly in concentration but he also looked serene, as if unbothered by the changes he had just endured.

"Well Ryuu," began Inutaisho as he sat down on the cool grass, "it would seem heighted hearing is another ability we can attribute to the stone."

Turning his head to acknowledge his friend, Ryūkotsusei opened his eyes, the once black irises now a bright red.

Inutaisho looked in thought at his oldest friend's face; like himself, Ryūkotsusei had markings on his face, but instead of the identical streaks that adorned his own cheeks, he noted the opaque black star on Ryūkotsusei's forehead. His eyes were slanted now, more reptilian, and the new color reminded him of freshly spilled blood. Inutaisho thought to himself that a dragon was an appropriate transformation for his friend based on his human appearance alone.

Raising a brow in response to the eyes staring intently at him, Ryūkotsusei turned his head back toward the clearing, taking in the scenery.

"It would seem that hearing is not the only one of our senses to be enhanced."

Furrowing his brows at the statement, Inutaisho too glanced at the glade before a quiet gasp escaped him, finally aware to changes that he had been previously oblivious to.

The colors of the glade seemed to come to life – The vibrant emerald leaves of the tree tops popped against the deep brown of the bark. The water in the pond shimmered like diamonds as the bright rays of the sun bounced off of the surface.

Hyousuke and Daichi had taken up residence on the opposite side of the glade but he could hear their playful banter as if they were next to himself and Ryūkotsusei. The calm lapping of the water gave the already serene clearing a more relaxing feel.

Inhaling deeply, he noticed that the smells he had taken faint note of before now assaulted his nostrils. The earthy smell of the grass and soil beneath his finger tips intrigued him as he ran his hands back and forth over the blades. However, it was the smell of the flowers that captured him.

" _Plum Blossoms…"_

He would never forget the sweet scent of the flowers and the memories that came with them, and now with his heightened senses, the memories came back ten-fold.

 _~ Flash Back ~_

"Inu! Come in for supper dear," came the soft voice of the woman as she called for her son.

"Ok Ryuu, I'll see you later!" replied a young Inutaisho to his friend, before running off to the direction of the small cottage where he heard his mother call for him, but not before stopping in the meadow next to the house to grab something.

Bounding into the house, the young boy jumped into the chair, smiling toothily at his mother as she placed the meal in front of him.

Before eating, he opened his hand and pushed his arm toward his mother, presenting her with the item inside his tiny palm.

Smiling warmly at the boy, the woman carefully grabbed the violet-red flower from him. Caressing his face softly, she stood up and placed the flower in a box occupied with identical blossoms, accounting for the sweet fragrance that radiated within the home frequently.

"Thank you sweetheart."

"Hai mother. I will do what father no longer can." with that statement, the boy stared wistfully toward the empty chair at the table.

Wiping a tear from her cheek, the young woman kissed the boy's cheek before regaining her seat to start her meal.

 _~ End Flash Back~_

Noticing the faraway gaze of his friend, Ryūkotsusei snapped his fingers in front of Inutaisho's face.

"Are you ok?"

Startled out of his musings, Inutaisho blinked his eyes repeatedly, taking note that Daichi and Hyousuke had once again joined them and were staring at him with concern.

"Yeah, just zoned out for a bit." laughed Inutaisho, shaking the last pieces of the memory out of his mind.

"So," began Hyousuke as he extended an arm to help Inutaisho to his feet, "I'm sure you two have noticed the change in our senses. I was unfortunate enough to smell Daichi's breath up close." he finished, grimacing at the memory.

"Yeah and you screaming in my ear was a real treat, you almost made me deaf!"

Shaking his head in annoyance, Inutaisho commented, "Yes we have noticed. The stone not only changed our physical appearance, but we are changing internally as well. I'm curious as to what other abilities we have been granted."

"Well we are in the middle of nowhere with nothing but time and space, how about we make that inquiry a reality?"

At that, Ryūkotsusei perked up, standing to join the other men, his red eyes flashing dangerously as his thin lips pulled into a smirk.

"I couldn't agree more."


	6. The Proposition

A/N: Once again, thank you to my loyal followers/readers/reviewers who support my story, I hope you like the story so far. Also I'm in the middle of law school finals so I'm not sure when my next update will be so stay tuned!

Read & Review Please!

Chapter 6 – The Proposition

"Wait…brother?!"

At the loud exclamation from the small woman, the demons in the clearing grimaced.

"Oi Kagome!" started Inuyasha as he placed his hands over the triangular ears atop his head, "whaddya have to be so damn loud for?!"

"While my brother has no type of civilized form of speech, I'll have to agree with the fool in that sentiment woman." added Sesshomaru, golden eyes glaring coldly at the yelling girl.

Opening her mouth in shock at the audacity of this man, Kagome glared back at him, intent of giving him a piece of her mind before Inuyasha beat her to it.

"Hey, who you calling fool, prick!"

"Really, Inuyasha, must you use such language in front of such beautiful and delicate women?" asked Miroku, using the opportunity to move closer to Sango.

Eyeing Miroku warily, Sango exclaimed. "I'd stay over there if I were you monk, and watch that hand unless you want to lose it!"

"Hehe."

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Sesshomaru closed his eyes in annoyance, trying to remember what on Earth led him to willingly seek out this group.

"Um guys," said Kagome as she eyed the stranger up and down, noticing his irritation growing, "I think we have a more pressing issue at hand."

While she was annoyed at the boldness of the man, she knew power when she saw it, and by the _feel_ of the aura he was giving off, Kagome thought it best to keep him calm.

"My apologies Kagome. And apologies to you as well Lord Sesshomaru," finished Miroku as he bowed toward the stoic being.

Cocking a brow, Kagome looked at the man once more before quietly questioning to herself, "Lord?"

Hearing her musing, Miroku spoke up once again.

"Hai Kagome. This is Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, the most powerful demon of the time and our dear friend Inuyasha's brother."

Rolling his eyes in disgust at Miroku's praising of Sesshomaru, Inuyasha chimed in. "Feh, the bastard's only my half-brother."

Kagome looked back and forth between the brothers before turning to Inuyasha with curious eyes.

"Inu, I find it strange that I've known you for so long and yet you've never said anything about having a brother. I would think you would have mentioned it once in 2 years!"

"It was never worth mentioning."

Tired of the senseless prattle around him, Sesshomaru finally spoke up. "Woman, cease your inquires. My business does not involve you."

Eyes going blank, Kagome tried to reign in her anger before she lashed out at the man. "Well excuse me for trying to help."

"This Sesshomaru did not ask for your help."

This man was rubbing her all the wrong ways; she usually believed Inuyasha was too rash in his assessment of people, but after only 5 minutes she could see how he hated the man.

Gritting her teeth tightly, she bit out. "Well then Sesshomaru- _sama_ ," spitting the honorific as if it burned her tongue, "would you do us the honor of telling us why we were lucky enough to be graced by your presence."

Sesshomaru continued glaring at the tiny female, her unruly tongue grating on his nerves. Had it been anyone else, they would've been sliced and diced within seconds. But he was here for a reason, and he would be civil to the group until he got what he needed.

So unfortunately, killing the girl was out of question. Sigh.

"Feh Kagome, forget about this asshole. The only reason he shows up is to fight, and if that's what he wants then I'll be glad to give to him."

At that statement, Inuyasha pulled Tetsuiga from its sheath, the rusty blade transforming into the mighty fang within seconds. The sword's yōki swirled around the blade dangerously, the demonic energy dancing around the blade in preparation for an attack.

"Hn. Your ignorance of my superiority over you never ceases to amaze me, whelp. However, I am not here for battle, there are more pressing matters at hand, not that I don't enjoy seeing your face in the dirt."

Enraged at the insult, Inuyasha yelled out before running at full speed toward his brother, Tetsuiga poised to strike the man in front of him.

Before Inuyasha could register what happened, Sesshomaru unsheathed Tōkijin, and he found himself on the ground with the blade pointed at his neck.

It took all of 5 seconds.

"Really Inuyasha," said Sesshomaru as he removed the blade from his younger brother's neck. "You seem to have a death wish and are insistent upon me granting it."

Sesshomaru wasn't one to roll his eyes, but at this moment he sure felt like it. Not that he blamed Inuyasha for the hatred of his person; if their roles were reversed he doubt he would feel any other way, but he didn't want to get into that right now.

Waiting for Inuyasha to stand up, Sesshomaru noticed the girl's blue eyes on his person. She seemed shocked at the altercation – whether it was the speed at which the ordeal had transpired, or seeing her friend disarmed so quickly, he was unsure of.

Raising a sculpted brow in her direction, golden eyes clashed with blue as she realized that she had been openly staring at the man she had moments ago dubbed #1 on her list of 10 disliked people.

Blushing hotly, Kagome quickly turned her head from Sesshomaru, embarrassed at getting caught basically _gawking_ at the man.

" _Ugh, this is turning out to be one of those days_ " thought Kagome bitterly, intent on not making a fool of herself again.

Sesshomaru wondered about the strange human girl before him as she scurried away to stand next to the slightly older looking woman. Her emotions swirled around her quite openly, and he could detect the shifts as quickly as they came.

Surprise. Anger. Embarrassment. Anger.

He thought her peculiar, but just summed it up to the nature of her kind.

 _Silly humans._

Turning back toward his younger brother who was wiping dirt off his hakama's, Sesshomaru waited until he had the half-demon's full attention.

Rubbing his sore bottom, Inuyasha inwardly cursed at how quick Sesshomaru was able to subdue him. He definitely hated losing, but to lose in such a manner to _him_ of all people, and in front of his pack no less, left a major bruise in his ego. Glaring at him one last time for good measure, Inuyasha thought it best to see what the asshole wanted so he could leave.

"Oi. Sesshomaru, what do you want."

"Hn. Finally coming to your senses? As I'm sure you are aware, this Sesshomaru has been able to keep a strong hold over the West for centuries, maintaining allies and destroying any threats to the land. However, with war waging throughout the country and Naruku still at large, this Sesshomaru has been busy ensuring the West was protected from such threats. It was seem as though Ryuuichirou has taken my preoccupation with such dealings to his advantage."

"Who is Ryuuichirou?" asked Kagome, walking toward the brothers to hear the conversation.

Acknowledging the girl for a second before turning away, Sesshomaru turned serious eyes back toward his brother.

"I know you have been absent from the political aspects of our heritage, but I believe you appreciate the significance of the name."

Hardening his eyes in recognition of the name, Inuyasha nodded his head curtly.

"Good. Then you understand you must come to the castle. We are the last of the Inu-yōkai, and knowing Ryuuichirou's abhorrence to our kind, I would rather not deal with you getting yourself killed or kidnapped."

Looking over the rag-tag group with skepticism, Sesshomaru added. "I'm sure that wouldn't be much of a challenge for Ryuuichirou to undertake."

Looking at Sesshomaru in disbelief, Kagome couldn't believe the gall of the man! He was basically calling them weak. I mean sure she wasn't the strongest person in Japan, but she was a damn good priestess, having been thrown into a completely different era and forced to master her powers in order to survive.

Marching up to the tall demon, Kagome pushed Inuyasha aside to stand toe-to-toe with Sesshomaru, craning her neck upward to meet his cool citrine stare.

"And just _who_ are you to presume to know our abilities?! I think I've just about had it with your _mightier than thou_ attitude."

He moved in a flash of white, and Kagome found herself pressed against a tree, the hard bark digging into her back, with the demon Lord in front of her, gripping her shoulders tightly.

"Woman, you tread on dangerous ground with that mouth of yours."

Noticing her friends approaching from the side of her eye, undoubtedly coming to her aid, Kagome halted their progress.

"Guys don't! I can handle myself."

Turning her blazing blue eyes back toward the man that had her in an iron grip and pinned to the tree, Kagome buried the feeling of panic in lieu of anger, refusing to be scared of the strong yōkai in front of her.

"You don't scare me."

"Hn. You lie. I smell the fear on you, girl." He whispered in a deadly calm voice.

Narrowing her eyes, Kagome found the massive aura pressing against her suffocating. Fear all but forgotten, her reiki rose up from her body in response to the challenge presented, determined to eliminate the immense yōki that threatened its host.

Eyes turning translucent, Kagome allowed her reiki to flow throughout her body to show Sesshomaru that she was not one to mess with! The pink aura swirled around her body, clashing with the dark aura of Sesshomaru, both battling for dominance, willing the other to submit.

Her three companions looked on in awe at the spectacle in front of them, shocked that not only was Kagome challenged the Lord of the West, but she was putting up a good fight!

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly before he schooled his expression back to his usual blank countenance. He knew the small woman had spiritual powers, but he was unaware of the extent to which they ran.

Not breaking his stare with the girl's determined expression, Sesshomaru took note of the burning sensation on his hands. He knew he was undeniably stronger than the priestess, but her power surprised him, and the feeling of her reiki against his skin was greatly uncomfortable.

Refusing to back down, Kagome held fast, pushing harder against the yōki aura, willing her powers to overcome the darkness. She knew she was no match for the yōkai and could feel herself becoming weaker, losing the battle of wills against him as she felt his aura press more insistently upon her.

Beads of sweat accumulated on her forehead, dripping past her weary blue eyes.

"Tell me priestess, did you seriously believe you could pose a threat to me?" laughed Sesshomaru, the words coming out deep and menacing.

Before Kagome could retaliate, Inuyasha decided to intervene. He knew Kagome was too stubborn to simply submit to anyone, and he could detect her exhaustion, knowing that his older brother could overpower his friend.

"Oi Sesshomaru, leave her alone! Your business is with me!"

Faintly acknowledging with younger brother's voice, Sesshomaru was committed to teach the woman a lesson, until he felt her aura start to dissipate. Smirking inwardly to himself, he too called back his own aura, until it was just him and the priestess staring at one another.

Releasing his hold on her shoulders, he looked down at the glazed eyes of woman before smirking.

"It would do well to remember you place, miko. This Sesshomaru is not in the habit of giving out warnings more than once." He said in a calm threat before walking off, leaving the miko standing against the tree.

As soon as he walked away, Sango rushed over to her friend, wrapping her arm around the younger woman, careful of Shippou who sat perched on the older woman's shoulder.

"Are you ok Kagome-chan?" She asked with worried eyes, as she checked her over.

"H-Hai Sango, just kind of tired." Kagome replied, slightly out of breath from the amount of energy she exerted.

Grabbing Shippou from Sango, Kagome hugged the tiny kitsune, kissing him on the cheek after noticing the tears spilling from his eyes.

"Don't worry Shippou, I'm fine!"

"Yes Lady Kagome, we were worried for you," started Miroku as he joined the women. "I must say, you held your own against Lord Sesshomaru very well."

Grinning in agreement, Sango whispered, "Hai Kagome! I think your reiki managed to burn him."

Smirking in delight, Kagome whispered back, "Serves him right!" careful to speak in hushed tones so the heightened hearing of the demons wouldn't pick up on their conversation.

As the trio rejoined the demon brothers, they picked up on the conversation at hand.

"So tell me of your movements Inuyasha. How is it a group comprised of a demon slayer, a priest and priestess, a demon kit and a half-demon manage to survive during a racial war?

"Feh not everyone holds the same prejudices as you Sesshomaru. Some people are as sick of this stupid war as we are."

Chiming in, Miroku added, "It is true Sesshomaru-sama. Whether it is a human village that was been devastated by hoards of demons or weaker demons that need protection from revenge-crazed humans, we have been fortunate enough to find shelter and protection in these trying times."

"Hn." He replied, contemplating the information he had just heard.

"We will meet at the castle in 3 days. That should be more than enough time to overcompensate for the abilities of your _group_."

Bristling at the insinuation, Kagome wanted to give the infuriating demon a piece of her mind once again, but before she could he turned around and strode out of the campsite.

"I trust you still remember your way home Inuyasha."

With that statement, Sesshomaru disappeared into the tree line, leaving behind 2 confused humans, an oblivious kit, an angry half-demon and an annoyed priestess in his wake.


	7. The Exploration of Darkness

A/N: Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great year and why not start the year off with some fan fiction, so without further adieu, Chapter 7!

Read & Review please!

Chapter 7 - The Exploration of Darkness

"So what do you think, Taisho?" asked Hyousuke, eager to hear the older mans reply.

While they were all around the same age, the group usually looked to Inutaisho regarding big decisions- after all it was he who suggested they take the journey in the first place. Besides with Ryūkotsusei's quick temper, Hyousuke's usual "hit first, think later" mentality, and the young Daichi's mischievous personality, Inutaisho had to be the level-headed one for all of their sakes.

Inutaisho regarded the 3 sets of eyes that looked on him with impatience, although Ryūkotsusei seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. His mind worked a mile-a-minute as he went through his usual thinking process. He knew his ability to determine all factors quickly to establish the best course of action was what made him a good leader for his group of friends.

 _Well we do need to explore these abilities…_

 _But what are the consequences?..._

 _Could we hurt each other?..._

 _Would we hurt others?..._

 _We'll have to document everything…_

Thoughts swirled through his head until he was brought out of his musings by Ryūkotsusei's cold voice.

"No offense Taisho but this isn't the old us where you governed our movements. You are just as new to this as we are and we have a chance to experience power that others haven't dreamed of! This is not the time to be cautious."

Ryūkotsusei didn't know what caused him to speak out against his oldest friend, but he couldn't help it. He was tired of Inutaisho besting him, and with their new found powers, he realized this could be his chance to show everyone just exactly how commanding he could be, and he wouldn't allow the opportunity to slip by.

Inutaisho squinted his golden irises in Ryūkotsusei's direction. He hadn't asked to be leader, but something about being challenged in such a way made his blood boil. His usual calm demeanor was slowly leaving him and before he could stop himself, he let out a low growl in Ryūkotsusei's direction.

Hyousuke and Daichi watched the exchange with curious eyes. They had no problem letting Inutaisho keep command of the group, and if they did before the menacing growl that escaped Inutaisho's throat coupled with the way his eyes swirled between scarlet red and bright gold quieted any thoughts they had of rebelling for good.

However, as they looked to Ryūkotsusei, they could sense that submitting to the older man was the last thing on his mind as he returned the growl with a sound of his own, just as threatening as Inutaisho's had been.

Noticing Ryūkotsusei advancing slowly upon his person, Inutaisho growled louder in warning, feeling the vibrations of the noise throughout his body. He clenched his hands in tight fists, taking little note of his now clawed fingertips drawing pin-pricks blood from his palms.

His body felt unlike anything he had experienced before, like he was no longer _human_ but not entirely bestial either, somewhere in-between the two extremes, fighting to maintain control. He heard the same voice again in his head, urging him to let go, to let the power consume his, but he would not give in to the impulse this time.

Something about his other form was unsettling, like he was a stranger within his own body, and he would resist resorting to that option for as long as he could manage.

He watched as Ryūkotsusei's blood red reptilian eyes sized him up as would a predator to his prey before attacking.

Baring his pointed canines toward his friend as a last resort, Inutaisho took a defensive stance as he waited to Ryūkotsusei's next move.

Not one to disappoint, Ryūkotsusei smirked inwardly before charging at his friend. He quickly realized he was faster than he had ever been before, bolting through the space between to the two with inhuman agility.

His adrenaline surged sky high as he met Inutaisho head on, grabbing the slightly bigger male with both arms as they wrestled for dominance, their strength almost parallel. Ryūkotsusei knew he couldn't overpower his friend in this manner, so he looked for a new tactic. Breaking free of the grapple, Ryūkotsusei pushed hard against Inutaisho's chest, causing him to stumble backward off balance.

Ryūkotsusei used this moment to his advantage, using his speed to advance on Inutaisho. He swung his right fist swiftly through the air, the appendage making a sickening crack on Inutaisho's jaw, causing him to fall to one knee.

Not giving Inutaisho any time to recover, Ryūkotsusei slashed his sharp claws towards the male on the ground. His arms moved so rapidly that Inutaisho could barely register the hits coming at his body, barely managing to block the deadly swipes being assaulted upon him.

His arms were taking the most damage from Ryūkotsusei's vicious claws, leaving bright red streaks deep within his skin as Ryūkotsusei continuously gouged at the flesh, leaving him still on one knee in pain as he held his arms above his head to stop the onslaught as best he could.

' _Damn he's too fast…I have to think of something before I lose this battle_.'

Gritting his teeth, Inutaisho realized defensive techniques would be all but useless against Ryūkotsusei's speed. Using all of his strength, Inutaisho pushed his arms above his head, causing Ryūkotsusei's attack to falter. Standing up, Inutaisho quickly grabbed hold of Ryūkotsusei's arms, digging his claws deep within the skin.

Ryūkotsusei howled out in pain and Inutaisho's claws sunk deep and deeper into his flesh. Although his own arms were still in pain from Ryūkotsusei's assault, he held fast against the thrashing male, before quickly releasing his claws and kicking his right leg upward into Ryūkotsusei's chest, causing him to stumble backward, out of breath.

Inutaisho took this moment to step backward and regain his bearings. His platinum bangs where matted to his forehead with sweat and he felt his jaw throbbing in pain from Ryūkotsusei's earlier punch.

Grabbing the mandible, Inutaisho closed his eyes before quickly twisting the bone, hearing a satisfying pop as it slipped back into place, the severe pain now only a dull ache. He noticed his arms were also healing as well, the deep scratches shrinking considerably.

Although his pain threshold was off the charts and he seemed to be healing rapidly, Inutaisho felt himself growing weary, knowing that he could only hold on for so much more. He had beaten Ryūkotsusei several times in the past, but his fuzzy mind couldn't formulate a solid strategy.

 _'Think Taisho think. You've sparred with him hundreds of times, what is his weakness...'_

Looking toward the form of Ryūkotsusei, Inutaisho could see he was in no better shape; the kick to his sternum had him wheezing considerably and his arms were bleeding profusely from where he had been punctured, but like himself, his wounds were healing as well.

Noticing the wild look in Ryūkotsusei's eyes, a light went off in Inutaisho's head, finally realizing how he would best his friend.

 _His temper._

Ryūkotsusei's was known for his quick temper which often caused him to lose concentration through his unbridled anger.

Spitting out blood, Inutaisho goaded his partner into attacking—

"Come on Ryuu, don't tell me that's the best you can do, but then again you've always been second best, huh bro?"

 _Hook._

His ruby eyes slanted even further, gleaming in fury at the insult.

Seeing Ryūkotsusei bristle, Inutaisho continued his taunting, hoping to bait the other male in attacking.

"Guess I shouldn't have expected more though; you've never been much of a challenge."

 _Line._

Unable to take anymore, Ryūkotsusei snarled loudly into the air before charging full speed at Inutaisho, intent on silencing his opponent once and for all.

 _Sinker._

Lips turning upward in a devious curl, Inutaisho waited to the perfect moment to subdue the now irate male speeding toward him.

Ryūkotsusei extended his claws to deal the battle-ending blow, sure his speed would leave Inutaisho unable to react in time to defend. However, just as he was mere inches from him, Inutaisho feinted to the right at the last second, grabbing his arm and using his momentum to flip him over onto his back.

Ryūkotsusei grimaced in pain as he collided with the hard ground, the soft blades of grass providing him no form of comfort. Opening his eyes, he bit back his anger as he noticed Inutaisho hovering over him, his once golden eyes now a blazing red, claws poised at his neck leaving small droplets of blood.

Growling low Inutaisho knew he had won this round.

"Submit!"

Growling in response, Ryūkotsusei tried to move his body upward, only to have Inutaisho's claws press more insistently upon his neck. He cursed quietly, knowing he had yet again lost. He felt the fire within him begin to dissipate as he began to feel like his old self, or as much of his old self he still obtained.

Unconsciously, Ryūkotsusei felt himself slightly bow his head low, being careful not to impale himself further on Inutaisho's claws.

Staring down at the gesture, Inutaisho felt himself start to relax, his eyes turning back to their now normal golden hue.

For a few moments the men didn't move an inch, confused as to what had just taken place. It wasn't until Hyousuke and Daichi came bounding over that they were finally released from their stupor.

"What the hell was that?!" came Daichi's high pitch shriek as he skidded to a stop in front of the duo, cautiously moving Inutaisho off of Ryūkotsusei, hoping that neither would turn their rage onto him.

"Right!" Hyousuke said, eying the pair warily, "I don't think a death match qualifies as 'training'"

Inutaisho stared blankly in front of him, barely registering the words of his friends.

What had just happened?

It had transpired so quickly he had barely registered the whole ordeal; Ryūkotsusei had challenged him and then everything went red. Although his mind was hazy, he remembered the fight vividly— the way his claws sunk into Ryūkotsusei's smooth flesh, the sight of blood oozing from the puncture wounds he had delivered. The howls of pain from the younger male still floated within his mind, causing an elfin ear to twitch.

But where was the remorse?

Although they were both healing at an accelerated rate, he had basically wounded his closest friend to near death. But he didn't feel despondent about it all; he didn't feel regret or remorse, other than not leaving Ryūkotsusei more battered than he already had. If anything he felt…

 _Satisfied._

The feeling of subduing an opponent sent his blood blazing; the sensation of shearing skin with his bare hands sated the beast within him. He felt no ill feelings toward Ryūkotsusei, just an instinctual call to prove his strength to the challenger at hand. He wondered if the primitiveness of battle called to the newly found blood lust within in soul.

Looking at the injured form of Ryūkotsusei, he assumed his friend's thoughts were most likely mirroring his own.

Standing up, Inutaisho extended a bloody arm towards Ryūkotsusei who grabbed it tentatively.

Inutaisho sensed the unease within the clearing. "Look," he started, "obviously there are things at play we haven't yet begun to understand. This power we've tapped into must not be taken lightly. We obviously aren't human anymore, rather something _darker_."

Inutaisho tried to voice his thoughts as reasonably as possible, but this was unchartered territory. He was just as confused as the other three, but taking in the eyes staring upon him intently, he realized something—

He was alpha.

Daichi and Hyousuke seemed to fall into line rather easily, but he knew Ryūkotsusei would prove to be a far more difficult challenge.

"Darker, huh?" questioned Hyousuke, rubbing his chin in thought. "If the legend is true, the stone contains the powers of the Gods, the power that the Cursed Ones wished to instill upon the humans to create the new species."

"But it's not just the Gods power Suke," chimed Daichi, his usual mirth replaced by a serious façade, "this is _cursed_ magic; magic tainted by touch of Hell. We aren't human anymore; we're something more—"

"Demonic." added Ryūkotsusei who had been unusually quiet the whole time.

"What do you mean by demonic Ryuu? You mean like a demon or something?"

Inutaisho thought on all the folklore and tales he had heard growing up, bedtimes stories that seemed all too real at the moment.

 _Demon._

The word seemed foreign in his mind. He was certain if he were to speak it aloud it was feel just as alien on his tongue. The more he tried to deny the notion, the more it started to sound completely sane— the emotions he felt while battling Ryūkotsusei, his heightened senses, the blood lust…these traits definitely seemed fitting of demonic beings.

"Demonic huh?" Inutaisho started, narrowing his eyes. "We will document everything. This must be done correctly and if we want to understand what we've become there must be order in the process."

Ryūkotsusei's head snapped toward Inutaisho almost instantly.

Inutaisho felt Ryūkotsusei's cold eyes upon his person almost immediately. He returned the gesture with a hard glare of his own, daring him to speak out against his word. Inutaisho knew the way of politics; he knew everything had to be recorded in order to succeed, and he did plan on succeeding.

But he also felt the primitive urges that had become a part of him, and he couldn't ignore those either.

Grinningly devilishly at Ryūkotsusei, he repeated, "We will record everything. But documentation is only half the battle. We have untapped power my friends, and this must be explored if we wish to share this gift with others."

Oh yes, Inutaisho was logical, but now that he had experienced the beginnings of what he could achieve, he was addicted. A switched had turned on within him, and like Ryūkotsusei, he wished to explore the depths of their new found abilities.

Ryūkotsusei smirked back at him before turning to Hyousuke and Daichi who too had grins on their faces.

"Finally coming to your senses, huh Taisho."

"Well I figure you'll need a lot more training before you can beat me. If I want to get stronger, I'm going to need some type of a challenge."

"Less talking, more fighting!" came Hyousuke's sharp voice, laced with an edge of hardness as he impatiently waited for the battle, the swirling aura's of Inutaisho and Ryūkotsusei calling forth his own to the surface in anticipation.

"After you Ryuu."

Flexing his claws a few times before he once again felt the tell-tale sign of his beast stirring to life in response to the impending battle, Ryūkotsusei chuckled darkly, letting the sunlight reflect off the whites of his razor sharp teeth.

"My pleasure."


End file.
